Curled toes on pullet

[JimmyJam86]

Hey

First time posting and first time owning chickens.

I picked up 4 pullets (16 weeks old) a couple of days ago (2 Ameraucanas and 2 Oliver eggers), all of which have settled in well and loved by the family.

When we got home, we realized that one of the Ameraucanas had severely curled toes.
I called the breeder, who assured me that she would still live a long, happy and egg filled life, with the only real issue being perching, and to put a small log in the coop so she can use that.

She seems to be happy enough and walks around fine, I just wanted to ask for some advice as the breeder said she’d happily exchange her. No one in the family wants to exchange her, she’s great, but we also don’t want years of issues.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

 

[Tookie]

Hello and welcome to BYC!
I don't think there is much you can do about the curled toes. They shouldn't be too much of a problem for her.
She's adorable! Keep her!

 

[JimmyJam86]

Hello and welcome to BYC!
I don't think there is much you can do about the curled toes. They shouldn't be too much of a problem for her.
She's adorable! Keep her!

Thank you for replying. We definitely want to keep her, just wasn’t sure if there was anything we hadn’t considered before deciding.

Will need to work something out regarding the perching. She won’t roost on a perch and two of the others just lay beside her in the corner.

Thanks again

 

[Tookie]

Thank you for replying. We definitely want to keep her, just wasn’t sure if there was anything we hadn’t considered before deciding.

Will need to work something out regarding the perching. She won’t roost on a perch and two of the others just lay beside her in the corner.

Thanks again

You may actually be able to fix it, I was reading about it. I can tag the experts.
@azygous @Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive

 

[azygous]

The bones have set by this age. The window to fix curled toes is in the first two weeks. She will get along just fine. Chickens can have many things wrong with their feet, and some even lose them, and they still get around.

 

[Eggcessive]

I don’t think it is possible to change the toes from being crooked. If it is seen in the first couple of days of life, it may be fixed with taping the toes straight, but that will not work once the cartilage is hardened. I have had several birds with crooked toes who lived normal lives.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

When we got home, we realized that one of the Ameraucanas had severely curled toes.
I called the breeder, who assured me that she would still live a long, happy and egg filled life, with the only real issue being perching, and to put a small log in the coop so she can use that.

Welcome To BYC

Looks like she has Crooked Toes instead of Curled Toes.
Crooked Toes would be hard to correct and painful even at a young age, but it may be possible with taping/splinting.

She's way too old to try to correct the problem.

Crooked Toes common causes are genetics, brooder floor too cold, incorrect incubation.

Curled Toes common causes poor breeder diet, riboflavin (B2) deficiency, possibly hereditary.

 

[Tookie]

How is she doing?

 

[Lortiz]

Welcome To BYC

Looks like she has Crooked Toes instead of Curled Toes.
Crooked Toes would be hard to correct and painful even at a young age, but it may be possible with taping/splinting.

She's way too old to try to correct the problem.

Crooked Toes common causes are genetics, brooder floor too cold, incorrect incubation.

Curled Toes common causes poor breeder diet, riboflavin (B2) deficiency, possibly hereditary.

I have 15 ten week old chicks. Two of them have crooked toes and the rest are okay. I hatched these chicks and sold a few. The two that have it are Speckled Sussex. I also sold 3 Speckled Sussex but they do not have curled toes to my knowledge. So I am trying to figure out if it is genetics or environmental. This is the first time I hatched from these parents and they do not have curled toes. The Speckled are larger and faster growing than the other breeds, so I am wondering if it could be diet related. They have been eating a few brands of organic chick starter, Modesto Milling Starter (crumble, 22% protein), New Country Organics Starter (fine ground mash, 21% protein) and Scratch and Peck Starter (mash, 20.5% protein). I also add 1 T Fertrell Show and Breeder Supplement per 2 lb feed. I also give then some produce, mainly greens, and some dried black soldier fly larvae. They have had no health problems and are very active. They were kept indoors for 2 weeks on Sweet PDZ as bedding. For the first approximately 4 days I covered it in paper towels on top of the Sweet PDZ. Do you think there was a traction problem? at two weeks, I moved them outside into a large cage, about 3.5 X 5.5 ft, with Sweet PDZ as bedding. I live in southern California, so it was very warm outside, mid to upper 90s during the day and around 70 at night until a few weeks ago. Now it is fluctuating between 60-75 during the day and 40s-50s at night. Do you think it could be temperature related?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have 15 ten week old chicks. Two of them have crooked toes and the rest are okay. I hatched these chicks and sold a few. The two that have it are Speckled Sussex. I also sold 3 Speckled Sussex but they do not have curled toes to my knowledge. So I am trying to figure out if it is genetics or environmental. This is the first time I hatched from these parents and they do not have curled toes. The Speckled are larger and faster growing than the other breeds, so I am wondering if it could be diet related. They have been eating a few brands of organic chick starter, Modesto Milling Starter (crumble, 22% protein), New Country Organics Starter (fine ground mash, 21% protein) and Scratch and Peck Starter (mash, 20.5% protein). I also add 1 T Fertrell Show and Breeder Supplement per 2 lb feed. I also give then some produce, mainly greens, and some dried black soldier fly larvae. They have had no health problems and are very active. They were kept indoors for 2 weeks on Sweet PDZ as bedding. For the first approximately 4 days I covered it in paper towels on top of the Sweet PDZ. Do you think there was a traction problem? at two weeks, I moved them outside into a large cage, about 3.5 X 5.5 ft, with Sweet PDZ as bedding. I live in southern California, so it was very warm outside, mid to upper 90s during the day and around 70 at night until a few weeks ago. Now it is fluctuating between 60-75 during the day and 40s-50s at night. Do you think it could be temperature related?

I have no idea.